System and method for focusing antenna signal transmission

Abstract

The system contains an antenna feed. A signal is in communication with the antenna feed. The signal has a wavelength and a period. A signal lens has a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion, wherein the signal propagates through the signal lens. The signal lens is designed such that the signal propagates through the periphery portion of the signal lens approximately one wavelength slower than through the interior portion of the signal lens.

1. An antenna system comprising:
 an antenna feed configured for communication with a signal having a wavelength; and 
 a signal lens, the signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens, and being configured such that when the signal lens is impinged by the signal a portion of the signal propagating through the thicker periphery portion of the signal lens lags a portion of the signal propagating through the interior portion, which has a thickness less than a thickness of the periphery portion in a direction the respective portions of the signal propagate through the respective interior and periphery portion; a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal lens comprises a material having a dielectric constant such that the periphery and interior portions of the signal lens have the same dielectric constant. 
     
     
       3. The antenna system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal lens comprises a material such that the signal will propagate through the material slower than the signal will propagate through air, and such that the portion of the signal will propagate through the material thickness of the periphery portion at about the same speed at which the portion of signal will propagate through the material thickness of the interior portion. 
     
     
       4. The antenna system of  claim 1 , further comprising an aperture formed in the interior portion. 
     
     
       5. The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal lens further comprises a segmented conical shape. 
     
     
       6. The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal lens focuses the signal. 
     
     
       7. The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal lens is configured such that it will take a longer time for the portion of the signal to propagate through the periphery portion than the time it will take for the portion of the signal to propagate through the interior portion. 
     
     
       8. The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal lens is configured such that the portion of the signal propagating through the periphery portion will still be propagating through the signal lens when the portion of the signal propagating through the interior portion has exited the signal lens. 
     
     
       9. The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal lens is operable for focusing signals being transmitted from the antenna feed and/or for focusing signals received at the antenna feed. 
     
     
       10. An antenna system comprising:
 an antenna feed configured for communication with a signal having a wavelength; 
 a signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens; and 
 an aperture formed in the interior portion; 
 wherein the thickness of the periphery portion relative to the interior portion is sized such that when the signal lens is impinged by the signal, a portion of the signal propagates approximately one less wavelength through the midsection of the interior portion than a portion of the signal propagates through the periphery portion; a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening. 
 
     
     
       11. An antenna system comprising:
 an antenna feed configured for communication with a signal having a wavelength; 
 a signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens; and 
 wherein the thickness of the periphery portion relative to the interior portion is sized such that when the signal lens is impinged by the signal, a portion of the signal traverses approximately one less wavelength through the midsection of the interior portion than a portion of the signal propagates through the periphery portion; a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening. 
 
     
     
       12. An antenna system comprising:
 an antenna feed configured for communication with a signal having a wavelength; 
 a signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens, and comprising a material having a dielectric constant such that the interior and periphery portions of the signal lens have the same dielectric constant; and 
 a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening, wherein the distal opening is approximately not more than three times the wavelength of the signal. 
 
     
     
       13. An antenna system comprising:
 an antenna feed configured for communication with a signal having a wavelength; 
 a signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens; and 
 a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening, wherein a radial width of the periphery portion is approximately λ/(2n) and a thickness of the periphery portion is approximately λ/(n−1). 
 
     
     
       14. An antenna system comprising:
 an antenna feed configured for communication with a signal having a wavelength; and 
 a signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens; 
 wherein the signal lens is configured such that when the signal lens is impinged by the signal, a portion of the signal propagates a multiple of approximately one less wavelength through the midsection of the interior portion than a portion of the signal propagates through the periphery portion; a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening. 
 
     
     
       15. A method of communicating using an antenna feed and a signal lens having a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens adjacent the antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens, said method comprising the steps of:
 transmitting a signal from the antenna feed; 
 propagating a portion of the signal through the interior portion of the signal lens; and 
 propagating a portion of the signal through the periphery portion of the signal lens, the periphery portion having a thickness greater than a thickness of the interior portion in a direction the respective portions of the signal propagate through the respective periphery and interior portions, wherein the step of propagating through the interior portion; a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening is slower than the step of propagating through the interior portion. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal is transmitted through the periphery portion approximately one phase slower than the interior portion. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal lens comprises a material having a dielectric constant such that the periphery and interior portions of the signal lens have the same dielectric constant. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the signal lens comprises a material that allows the signal to propagate therethrough slower than the signal will propagate through air, and wherein the portion of the signal propagates through the material thickness of the periphery portion at about the same speed at which the portion of signal propagates through the material thickness of the interior portion. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal lens is approximately a conical segment. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the antenna feed is a patch antenna. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising combining in phase the portion of the signal propagating through the periphery portion of the signal lens with a subsequent cycle of the portion of the signal propagating through the interior portion of the signal lens. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of propagating through the periphery portion takes a longer time than the time it takes for the step of propagating through the interior portion. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the signal lens comprises a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening, wherein a radial width of the periphery portion is approximately λ/(2n) and a thickness of the periphery portion is approximately λ/(n−1). 
     
     
       24. A signal lens for focusing signals transmitted from and/or received at an antenna feed of an antenna system, the signal lens comprising a periphery portion that is thicker than an interior portion from a side of the signal lens configured to be adjacent an antenna feed to an opposing side of the signal lens, the interior and periphery portions formed from a material having a dielectric constant such that the interior and periphery portions of the signal lens have the same dielectric constant, and configured such that when the signal lens is impinged by a signal, a portion of the signal will take a longer time to propagate through the periphery portion than the time it will take a portion of the signal to propagate through the interior portion, whereby the portion of the signal propagating through the periphery portion will still be propagating through the signal lens when the portion of the signal propagating through the interior portion has exited the signal lens; a proximate opening and a distal opening formed in the interior portion, wherein the distal opening is larger than the proximate opening. 
     
     
       25. The signal lens of  claim 24 , wherein the periphery portion is thicker than the interior portion such that a thickness of the interior portion is less than a thickness of the periphery portion in a direction the respective portions of the signal propagate through the respective interior and periphery portions.